You can only start to dream when you have complete closure…

Synopsis

Samantha has a secret. Returning home from her dream honeymoon to the normality of running her beloved Hedgehog Hollow rescue centre, she’s ready for the next chapter of her life with Josh. Or is she? Samantha is hiding something which could forever change the dreams they shared and bring their happy ever after crashing to the ground.

Lauren has given up on love. Twenty-six years ago the love of her life, Shaun, left her a note and was never seen again. Two painful divorces later she still can’t face opening up to anyone. But little does Lauren know that the closure she’s dreamt of for all these years may be closer than she thinks, and perhaps the only way to let new love in is to forgive and forget.

Samantha and Lauren will need the love and support from the Hedgehog Hollow family more than ever. After all, some dreams are worth chasing…

My review

Having had the wedding they dreamed of, Samantha and Josh are looking forward to start their lives together after an amazing honeymoon. Yet already during the honeymoon, Sam is having doubts. Obviously not about the love between the two of them, but about the decision they took together. Will these doubts put everything that was built so slowly at risk?

And what about Josh’s Auntie Lauren? Her husband walking out on her so many hears ago without giving her any explanation, made it impossible for her to truly open up to anyone else, even if she has faced already a second divorce. But is love coming her way in a way she saw coming? Or is it in an unexpected way? And does she dare to open up her heart?

Both Sam and Lauren are standing at crossroads at their lives, but no matter where their lives will take them, Hedgehog Hollow will always be needing their help.

It’s not a secret that I absolutely adore this series from this amazing author. And it’s common knowledge that the lack of tissues in Belgium is totally my fault while reading these books.

But Belgium, do not worry anymore, because for this book, not one tear was spilled! And no, it doesn’t mean I didn’t like this book as much as the previous ones.

Sam is being constant in being Sam. Even if it may seem she has everything she could ever wish for, she still has her doubts and fears. While it was sometimes frustrating reading about her fears and not wanting/daring to express them, because we know Josh loves her unconditionally, it shows again how human, real and illogical our fears can be. Because don’t we all say one thing, and then start doubting what we said?

But no matter what, her love for hedgehogs and her desire to help them all never diminish. And the love as a reader for hedgehogs only grows!It was also a kind of refreshing that there wasn’t a major drama in this book, like a reappearance of a certain horrible family…

And it allowed us to focus on Lauren, Josh’s aunt…

Slowly we learn about her past and both her marriages. The focus is on her first marriage, as it was the catalyst of being who she is now.

And it broke my heart to read how Lauren’s heart got broken. When a marriage ends, most of the times the involved parties know the reason of the ending. But Lauren, having no idea, having no clues even afterwards and not even getting all the answers later on, it was just so sad…

So obviously, I truly hoped she would get some closure and even a new chance at love. However, the love interest was not what I expected, especially as we saw in the previous book that something was starting to bloom… But maybe on the other hand, it was even better like this, because this new character is even a better fit!

I loved, loved, loved reading this marvellous next chapter in the series. Jessica Redland manages perfectly to grasp the humanity in each character, and yet keeps surprising us.

I have to admit, when Shaun made a reappearance, I wasn’t totally surprised by it, as a few tips were given, but I admired the courage of the author, and the character, of broaching this topic. While many would not understand it, Jessica manages to show again the humanity of facing the reality of it.

I know that the series is slowly reaching its end. And while it breaks my heart a little bit, as I truly love each character and each little hedgehog, I am already looking forward to the next chapter. And I hope that everyone, somehow and someway, get their happy ever after, like they deserve! And if they don’t, I will come and haunt you down Jessica! Because you don’t write such amazing characters and wonderful stories without a happy end!!!